What oil is best? and what ratio?

[lehman live edge slab]

All the oil on Stihl Brazil’s site has castrol and stihl both written in huge letters on the bottle

 

[PissRev]

All the oil on Stihl Brazil’s site has castrol and stihl both written in huge letters on the bottle

Yeah just about every other country in the world gets the Castrol made good stuff.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Yeah just about every other country in the world gets the Castrol made good stuff.

I know lots dislike ultra but I do know the one tree service ran gallons and gallons of it in his saws all they way from 200t’s to 460-461 and now 500’s and I’ve not seen an oil related issue. The 460 wore the skirt thin from hours and if finally broke while running But I know lots that swear by the orange and actually a couple rental places that run it in all their rental 2 cycles

 

[bwalker]

Stihl HP Plus.....its semisyn Jaso FD.....while Stihl HP is mineral Jaso FB....

Anything FB is a hard pass IMO.

 

[bwalker]

Not certain that’s true to meet fd it’s just a series of tests pass or fail says nothing about having to be synthetic. They test smoke, lubricity, cold flow ect. From what I was reading the largest difference between the fc and fd was smoke output measured with a photo sensor that reads light transmission through a box full of the engine smoke. Otherwise lube and flow characteristics are very similar fc to fd the plain old orange bottle Stihl oil that is sold in the USA is just fb rated but saws live a long time on it. The only engines that don’t love orange bottle is the 4mix but mostly the early ones they have made changes since then supposedly that allow orange bottle in them but still prefer the ultra here.

All of the FD oils I have looked at are synthetic blends.
Passing the smoke test has other benefits such as cleanliness of the ring grooves, exhaust ports, etc.

 

[bwalker]

Yeah just about every other country in the world gets the Castrol made good stuff.

When ai lives in Canada I ran stihl oil made by Castrol. In truth it wasn't any better than orange bottle in the states.
Stihl in the north America has the lowest quality oils of all the OEM's.

 

[Partner]

All of the FD oils I have looked at are synthetic blends.
Passing the smoke test has other benefits such as cleanliness of the ring grooves, exhaust ports, etc.

I had this experience too

 

[Wilhelm]

Sooooo...

Best to use no oil at all that way there is no discussion which oil is betterer!

Win win

 

[PissRev]

Sooooo...

Best to use no oil at all that way there is no discussion which oil is betterer!

Win win

Try some canola oil at 40:1 and see how long it lasts

 

[Catfishclark89]

Here are all the oils I’ve tried (that I can recollect)
1. Amsoil dominator (superior bottom end lubrication, low flash point for clean burn and smells goooood)
2. Maxima K2 (awesome oil as well, clean burning and smells pleasant. Only complaint is it’s hard to tell when it’s mixed due to its amber color)
3. Vp racing synthetic (another very good oil, mixes well, low flash point, nice red color, very good bottom end lubricant)
4. Castrol GO! 2t motorcycle oil (a mineral oil, very clean burning, performed just fine, blue color, smell isn’t as pleasant)
5. Motul 800 2t (little much for a saw, builds up some gunk, superior lubrication but imo just too much for a saw)
6. Stihl hp ultra (do not recommend at any less than 40:1, doesn’t seem to do as well in the bottom end, too dang expensive for what it is)

Now. With this being said. I believe any quality oil mixed at 40:1 will keep a saws engine internals in fine shape IF saw is maintained properly, tuned correctly, and chain kept sharp in normal cutting conditions.
HOWEVER I believe the higher quality oils can help protect a saw when conditions aren’t ideal or maintenance is neglected. This is my .02. Thank you

 

[bwalker]

Here are all the oils I’ve tried (that I can recollect)
1. Amsoil dominator (superior bottom end lubrication, low flash point for clean burn and smells goooood)
2. Maxima K2 (awesome oil as well, clean burning and smells pleasant. Only complaint is it’s hard to tell when it’s mixed due to its amber color)
3. Vp racing synthetic (another very good oil, mixes well, low flash point, nice red color, very good bottom end lubricant)
4. Castrol GO! 2t motorcycle oil (a mineral oil, very clean burning, performed just fine, blue color, smell isn’t as pleasant)
5. Motul 800 2t (little much for a saw, builds up some gunk, superior lubrication but imo just too much for a saw)
6. Stihl hp ultra (do not recommend at any less than 40:1, doesn’t seem to do as well in the bottom end, too dang expensive for what it is)

Now. With this being said. I believe any quality oil mixed at 40:1 will keep a saws engine internals in fine shape IF saw is maintained properly, tuned correctly, and chain kept sharp in normal cutting conditions.
HOWEVER I believe the higher quality oils can help protect a saw when conditions aren’t ideal or maintenance is neglected. This is my .02. Thank you

I know guys all over the internet suggest flash point is important, but it really doesnt tell you much in regards to what an oil does inside an engine. It's only listed on a MSDS for shipping and storage purposes. What it does tell you is if the oil uses a diluent and if it does the quality of the solvent used. Lower FP is better within reason for oils using diluents.

 

[mrxlh]

When ai lives in Canada I ran stihl oil made by Castrol. In truth it wasn't any better than orange bottle in the states.
Stihl in the north America has the lowest quality oils of all the OEM's.

I was wondering if it was just me thinking who the fork is fawning over Castrol? The overseas stuff isn’t any better performing either.

 

[mrxlh]

My top 4 for most everything including 4mix. I run everything at 32:1.

1. Amsoil Dominator is the best performing oil I have used to date. The cost benefit makes any ratio you like affordable.
2. Red Armor is my next of choice, (not a porter, so even if spooge appeared, not a deal breaker) super available as well.
3/tie. Honda HP2 and Motul 710 are oils that I would use albeit more costly, and locally for me harder to get.

Plastic cage bearing saws
1. Motul 800, it may burn a tad dirty, but the base viscosity is why it performs well in this area. Yamaha ring free or Techron is what I would run using this oil to keep the carbon to a minimum.

 

[jakethesnake]

So I’ve run a bunch of different. So far opinion does like this. Run any good brand oil (not lucas, Seriously don’t use this) at 40:1 I use 32:1 even with red armor (overkill) you’re gonna be fine


Use anything including *s-word oil
32:1. You’re still gonna be ok

 

[Catfishclark89]

So I’ve run a bunch of different. So far opinion does like this. Run any good brand oil (not lucas, Seriously don’t use this) at 40:1 I use 32:1 even with red armor (overkill) you’re gonna be fine


Use anything including *s-word oil
32:1. You’re still gonna be ok

What is it about the Lucas you didn’t like? This reminded me I have ran it in a saw before but didn’t tear down to look at anything. Been several years ago now

 

[PissRev]

What is it about the Lucas you didn’t like? This reminded me I have ran it in a saw before but didn’t tear down to look at anything. Been several years ago now

It leaves the inside's drier than a mouthful of alum.

 

[Catfishclark89]

It leaves the inside's drier than a mouthful of alum.

Ahhh. You’d think a company with the reputation like Lucas would have a better 2-stroke oil

 

[hacskaroly]

Ahhh. You’d think a company with the reputation like Lucas would have a better 2-stroke oil

I agree, I like some of their other products.

 

[jakethesnake]

Ahhh. You’d think a company with the reputation like Lucas would have a better 2-stroke oil

I agree, I like some of their other products.

I used it too. I also like some of thier other products. I like thier injector cleaner.

If you were to scan this entire oil thread there’s pictures I added. Things didn’t go well.

Saws were very dry on tear down. Had a bearing go out Pulled some others apart ram on the same mix and everything looked dry. Basically not enough lube at 40:1.

I switched from that oil onto the next and since never saw another issue. I’ve used several different oils since and haven’t had any problems

 

[huskihl]

Dominator.

That is all.